People in the News for October 16, 1997

Thursday, Oct. 16, 1997 | 10:29 a.m.

Blame image-addled TV execs. Blame Dan Rather. Blame El Nino -- it's responsible for everything else. For whatever reason, onetime CBS star Connie Chung can't seem to claw her way back into network news. She hasn't worked since 1995, when CBS dropped anchor on her "Evening News" partnership with Dan Rather. Not even good enough for CBS -- that's the sort of taint it can be hard to shake in the pressure-cooker world of big-time Teleprompter reading. Recent talks with ABC and NBC haven't borne fruit. ABC apparently considered her as a possible host for its second night of "20/20," but finally opted for your favorites from the first night of "20/20," Hugh Downs and Barbara Walters. Still, ABC is said to be keeping Chung in mind for future newsmagazines. She also chatted up NBC high cheese Andrew Lack about getting into the Sunday franchise of "Dateline"; alas, he seems to have decided no one would want to wang Chung that night, even though he and she are old pals from their stints on CBS' "Saturday Night With Connie Chung" and "Face to Face With Connie Chung." Still, you'd think that her years at CBS would give her a talking-head-start somewhere, but no. Just last year, thanks to a public outcry of Who cares?, she and husband Maury Povich dropped plans for a joint show. In other words, a man who already has a show can't even get a show with Chung at his side.

Briefly

Had we known ahead of time that we'd have to type the phrase "Elton John's memoir" today, we'd have heeded Louis Farrakhan's call to stay home from work. Too late now: "I have been approached countless times about writing a memoir, but the time never seemed right," John says. But now -- blame an opportunistic publishing industry, blame "Candle in the Wind," blame El Nino and Connie Chung if you must -- the extravagantly sunglassed pop pixie has decided the time is write. "In 1997, I celebrated my 50th birthday and a 30-year creative partnership with lyricist Bernie Taupin," John explained. "These and other milestones, professional and personal in nature," convinced him to go ahead. Ah, the wild tales of electric shades and platform shoes we'll be privy to! The stories of "Crocodile Rock" and living his principles instead of just talking about them! Book that man on Connie Chung's next show!

Compiled by Scott Dickensheets